Object dispenser apparatus

ABSTRACT

An object dispenser apparatus for dispensing individual products for use without users touching products to be used by others. The object dispenser apparatus includes a housing including an elongated container having an open top and adapted to store lids therein and also having a tray in communication with the container for dispensing the lids from the container; an actuator assembly disposed in the housing for dispensing the lids one-at-a-time from the container to the tray.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to product dispensers and more particularly pertains to a new object dispenser apparatus for dispensing individual products for use without users touching products to be used by others.

Description of the Prior Art

The use of product dispensers is known in the prior art. More specifically, product dispensers heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.

The prior art includes a dispensing apparatus including a load platform having a main floor on which to place a stack of lids and also having a parallelogram mechanism mounted to move in a linear direction forward to a dispense position and rearward to a home position. Another prior art includes a dispensing device for beverage cup lid including, an externally threaded central rotary rod attached to a direct drive bidirectional electrical motor and suspended within a lid cabinet with a stacked plurality of lids retained upon the rotary rod through a central bore in each lid, the lids urged downward by a traveling press plate. Also, another prior art includes a mechanism for separating individual, tapered rimless container parts in timed sequence from a vertical stack of such parts and wherein separable support fingers underlie the peripheral edge of the lowermost part and, a continuously revolved actuator controls a spring-powered striker member which is periodically released to engage the fingers with sufficient momentum to spread them enough to let the lowermost part fall beyond the fingers which are then immediately returned to original position to underlie and receive the also descending next lowermost part. Further, another prior art includes a housing, shaft assemblies and a lid dispensing mechanism. Each shaft assembly includes a shaft that extends from a base of the housing, a lid shelf that supports at least a bottom-most lid in the lid stack area and a drive gear about its shaft so that rotation of the drive gear causes rotation of the associated shaft and lid shelf. While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new object dispenser apparatus.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new object dispenser apparatus which has many of the advantages of the product dispensers mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new object dispenser apparatus which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art product dispensers, either alone or in any combination thereof. The present invention includes a housing including an elongated container having an open top and adapted to store lids therein and also having a tray in communication with the container for dispensing the lids from the container; an actuator assembly disposed in the housing for dispensing the lids one-at-a-time from the container to the tray. None of the prior art includes the combination of the elements of the present invention.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the object dispenser apparatus in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new object dispenser apparatus which has many of the advantages of the product dispensers mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new object dispenser apparatus which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art product dispensers, either alone or in any combination thereof.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new object dispenser apparatus for dispensing individual product for use without users touching product to be used by others.

Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new object dispenser apparatus that eliminates the transmission of germs to products used with foods and drinks.

Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new object dispenser apparatus that prevents product waste and thus reduces cost transferred to the users.

These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a new object dispenser apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial side cross-sectional view of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a partial side cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the actuator assembly of the second embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 4 thereof, a new object dispenser apparatus embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 4, the object dispenser apparatus 10 generally comprises a housing 11 including an elongated container 12 having an open top 13 and adapted to store objects 25 such as lids therein and also having a tray 28 in conventional communication with the container 12 for dispensing the objects 25 from the container 12; and an actuator assembly 14 disposed in the housing 11 for dispensing the objects 25 one-at-a-time from the container 12 to the tray 28. The tray 28 is conventionally attached to and extends outwardly from the container 12 and is slanted downwardly from the open top 13 of the container 12 to facilitate sliding of the lids 25 for access by a user.

The actuator assembly 14 includes a biased element 17 disposed in the container 12 for biasing the lids 25 to the open top 13 of the container 12. The actuator assembly 14 also includes an air blower assembly 18 for moving the uppermost lid 25 at the open top 13 from the container 12 to the tray 28 and further includes an actuator 15 conventionally disposed upon the housing 11 for, actuating the air blower assembly 18. The actuator 15 includes a motion sensor conventionally disposed upon the housing 11, and also includes a controller 16 such as a circuit board in conventional communication with the motion sensor 15 and the air blower assembly 18. The air blower assembly 18 includes an air pump 19 disposed in the housing 11 and conventionally connected to a power source and in operable communication with the controller 16, and also includes an air hose 20 conventionally connected to the air pump 19 and having a distal end 22, and further includes an air nozzle 21 conventionally connected to the distal end 22 of the air hose 20 and positioned at the open top 13 of the container 12 for blowing air onto the lid 25 at the open top 13 of the container 12 to move the lid 25 out of the container 12 and onto the tray 28. Upon detection of motion by the motion sensor 15, a signal such as an electric signal or wireless signal is sent to the controller 16 which actuates the air pump 19 to pump air through the air nozzle 21 to move the lid 25 out of the container 12.

The air nozzle 21 has an open end 23 which is directed across a top 26 of the uppermost lid 25 at the open top 13 of the container 12 to create a venturi effect. The air nozzle 21 rests in a plane with the top 26 of the uppermost lid 25 in the container 12 so that forced air is emitted across the top 26 of the lid 25 which lifts the lid 25 out of the container 12 and onto the tray 28.

As a second embodiment, the air nozzle 21 has an arcuate distal end portion 24 which is positioned adjacent to and below the uppermost lid 25 in the container 12. The open end 23 of the air nozzle 21 is directed upwardly to blow forced air on a bottom edge 27 of the lid 25 to lift and move the lid 25 out of the container 12 and onto the tray 28. The air nozzle 21 is positioned to blow air either across the top 26 of the uppermost lid 25 or upon the bottom edge 27 of the lid 25 which lifts the lid 25 from the container 12 and onto the tray 28.

In use, the objects 25 are loaded into the container 12. A user motions in front of the motion sensor 15 which sends a signal to the controller 16 which actuates the air blower assembly 18 and blows air onto the uppermost object 25 in the container which moves the uppermost object 25 from the container 12 to the tray 28. The air nozzle 21 is positioned either to blow air across the top 26 of the uppermost object 25 to create a venturi effect which lifts the uppermost object 25 from the container 12 and onto the tray 28 or to blow air on the bottom edge 27 of the uppermost object 25 to lift the object 25 off the container 12 and onto the tray 28.

As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the object dispenser apparatus. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention. 

1-5. (canceled)
 6. An object dispenser apparatus comprising: a housing including an elongated container having an open top and adapted to store objects such as lids therein and also having a tray in communication with the container for dispensing the objects from the container; and an actuator assembly disposed in the housing for dispensing the objects one-at-a-time from the container to the tray, the actuator assembly including a biased element disposed in the container for biasing the lids to the open top of the container, the actuator assembly also including an air blower assembly for moving the lid at the open top from the container to the tray and further includes an actuator disposed upon the housing for actuating the blower assembly with the actuator having a motion sensor disposed upon the housing, and also includes a controller in communication with the motion sensor and the air blower assembly, the air blower assembly includes an air pump disposed in the housing and in operable communication with the controller, and also includes an air hose connected to the air pump and having a distal end, and further includes an air nozzle connected to the distal end of the air hose and positioned at the open top of the container for blowing air onto the lid at the open top of the container to move the lid out of the container and onto the tray, whereupon detection of motion by the motion sensor, a signal is sent to the controller which actuates the air pump to pump air through the nozzle to move the lid out of the container.
 7. The object dispenser apparatus as described in claim 6, wherein the air nozzle has an open end which is directed across a top of the lid at the open top of the container to create a venturi effect.
 8. The object dispenser apparatus as described in claim 7, wherein the air nozzle rests in a plane with the top of the lid at the open top of the container so that forced air is emitted across the top of the lid which lifts the lid out of the container and onto the tray.
 9. The object dispenser apparatus as described in claim 6, wherein the air nozzle has an arcuate distal end portion which is positioned adjacent to and below the lid at the open top of the container.
 10. The object dispenser apparatus as described in claim 8, wherein the open end of the nozzle is directed upwardly to blow forced air on a bottom of the outer edge of the lid to lift and move the lid out of the container and onto the tray.
 11. A method of using an object dispenser apparatus comprising the steps of: providing a housing having a container and a tray, and also providing a biased element and an air blower assembly; loading objects into the container; actuating the air blower assembly; and blowing air onto an uppermost object in the container which moves the uppermost object from the container to the tray.
 12. The method of using an object dispenser apparatus as described in claim 11, wherein the air blower assembly includes an air pump, an air hose and an air nozzle.
 13. The method of using an object dispenser apparatus as described in claim 12, wherein the blowing air includes positioning the air nozzle to blow air onto the uppermost lid.
 14. The method of using an object dispenser apparatus as described in claim 13, wherein the air nozzle is positioned to blow air across a top of the uppermost lid to create a venturi effect which lifts the uppermost lid from the container and onto the tray.
 15. The method of using an object dispenser apparatus as described in claim 13, wherein the air nozzle is positioned to blow air on a bottom edge of the uppermost lid to lift the lid off the container and onto the tray. 